19-year-old Daniel Richards died from taking bath salts and other controlled substances, but his friend's actions also contributed.

Mesa County District Attorney, Pete Hautzinger, says, "On April 10th of this year, Daniel Richards purchased a significant quantity of bath salts, synthetic cathinones analogs, from one of the local retailers."

He went to a party where witnesses say he was uncontrollable and violent.

"At one point Daniel had pulled a knife," Hautzinger said.

Witnesses say Daniel's friends restrained him.

"They held him trying to again get him to be calm, get him to stop trying to fight people, and stop trying to injure others," Hautzinger said.

His friends took him to the hospital where he died the next day. The cause of death was ruled a homicide.

"Daniels death was caused by being strangled and being unable to get enough air to his brain," Hautzinger explained.

While others are responsible for Daniels death, the district attorney says it wasn't their intent to kill him.

"This is not a crime. It was not the intent to cause this person's death,” Hautzinger said. “It was to try to prevent him from hurting himself or others and that's exactly why no criminal charges are being filed.”

Authorities say the real tragedy is this death could've been prevented.

Grand Junction Police Chief, John Camper, says, "The physiological and psychoactive effects of these substances are in many cases worse than that of meth and cocaine."

The drug task force sent out a document, warning retailers engaged in, or attempting to sell bath salts that it's illegal.

"Like us, the Colorado Legislature was concerned enough about these substances to pass new laws right at the end of the session prohibiting their possession, manufacture, sell, and distribution," Camper said.

New laws went into effect in June, making possession of bath salts a misdemeanor, and distribution or sale of them a felony.